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Xinhua News Agency, London, April 12 (Reporter Chen Cong) The British Parliament’s House of Commons Committee pointed out in a report on the 12th that the British government’s actions during the Brexit referendum caused public distrust.
The House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee reported that any future referendum in the UK should learn lessons from the handling of the Brexit referendum, including the damage to the reputation of civil servants and the lack of preparation for any possible outcome.
The report said that although the government of then Prime Minister David Cameron did not support Brexit, they had a constitutional and public obligation to prepare for both outcomes of the referendum.
“Unfortunately, many of the actions taken by the government in the run-up to the referendum appear to have increased public mistrust and could have easily been avoided. The use of government agencies during the referendum period exacerbated the perception that the civil service was in some way biased,” the report states in its conclusion.
MPs also said the submission of government reports, particularly those from the Treasury, and the spending of 9.3 million pounds ($11.7 million) to distribute pro-EU leaflets to every household in Britain were inappropriate and counterproductive for the government.
The committee recommended that if a referendum were held in the future, civil servants should be prepared for two possible outcomes.
The MPs added: “Confusion about the possible consequences of the referendum result will only exacerbate underlying tensions between referendums and representative democracy and risk increasing public discontent with politics.”
Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin, who chairs the committee, said: “The use of government agencies during a referendum has a major impact on public trust and confidence. The referendum needs to be designed in such a way that it provides maximum clarity for MPs, campaigners and, most importantly, voters.”
Jenkin added: “What is most important is that both sides believe the referendum process was fair and both sides recognise, even if not agree with, the result.”
The commission made recommendations to improve the legislative and regulatory framework for referendums, as well as for the government, the civil service and the National Electoral Commission.
In the Brexit referendum held last June, the majority of voters ignored the government’s advice that the UK remain in the European Union. The British people voted 52 to 48 to leave the EU.
Last month, Theresa May, who succeeded Cameron as prime minister after the Brexit result was announced, triggered Article 50 of the Withdrawal Treaty, starting the Brexit process.
Remain supporters argue that because the referendum gave people a simple choice to stay in or leave the EU, many people did not realise the full consequences of the Leave vote.
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